


ground floor

by perigilpin



Category: Frasier - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Frasier - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-03 13:23:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/698732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perigilpin/pseuds/perigilpin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Ep fic for 10x24 "A New position for Roz"</p>
            </blockquote>





	ground floor

**Author's Note:**

> 'Roz: You're going to have to choose, Frasier.  
> Frasier: You will not put me in this position, Roz. We will discuss it later!  
> Roz: No! Tell me! It's her or me! Tell me now, or I swear to God I will walk out of here and I will not come back.'

“Roz?” Martin stumbled out of the elevator and in to the lobby, surprised to still see her in the building.

“Hey Marty.” She sat alone at one of the modern benches that the Seattle Towers had recently installed. He remembered that Frasier having some gaping opinion about them but he couldn’t remember just what.

“What are you still doing here?” Martin decided to test the waters with a light question. He had of course, heard the argument between Roz and Frasier being trapped in the kitchen with Julia the whole time, but he didn’t want to press at it. Roz wasn’t looking quite herself and he knew first hand it did no good to be poked and prodded at while in a mood.

“ I was going to go home but I didn’t really feel like driving home, so I sat down and-” she sighed playing with the hem of her jacket, “and that was two hours ago.” Martin walked over to her and steadied himself with his cane as he sat on the bench next to her. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Roz spoke up again, “ You heard the whole thing didn’t you? You were in the kitchen eating cake.” Her tone wasn’t accusatory but the words still stung a bit. She had asked him to back her up but instead he had chosen a nice piece of chocolate cake. In the moment it had seemed a good choice, and in his defense he had gotten Julia out of the way if only temporarily. 

“I still can’t believe I did that, i’ve never given a real ultimatum before.” She paused and let out a self-depreciating laugh, “ So far i've got a zero percent success rate."

“Well, do you regret it?” He wasn’t quite sure where he was going with his questions but he figured living ten years with a psychiatrist had to give him some experience.

“Yes and no I guess. I don’t regret the things I said, but I do regret saying them. I just never thought he would chose her if it came down it ya know? I guess that’s awful cocky of me. Frasier means-“ she stumbled over her words and Martin could tell she was trying to be careful of just how much she was sharing, “ Frasier’s friendship means a lot to me. I though it was more than just a convenient workplace friendship. But if ten years of it doesn’t stand a chance against relationship built only on a few dates…” Roz's voice had gotten shaky and she began looking for her key’s in her purse avoiding Martin’s eyes, “ I just can’t face him again. That’s the real embarrassment. The moment you start to care you’re just setting yourself up for it.”

Roz pulled her key’s out of her purse and stood up obviously flustered, “ I better get going. “

“Frasier’s not really the best at knowing what’s right for him when he get’s caught up in the moment. I could name at least ten incidents without even thinking about it. But he's got a good heart. I’m sure he’ll come around Roz. You do mean a lot to him, more than he admits.”

Roz placed a gentle hand on his shoulder in thanks before heading in the other direction to the door.

“I hope,” Martin started, “ No matter what happens you’ll still come around. You know I’d miss having you at my poker games, grabbing a beer and chatting about the Sonics…” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued in a mock serious tone, “You’re the son I never had.” 

Roz turned around to face him and he saw the start of a genuine smile tugging at her lips , “Can do Marty.”


End file.
